Uncategorised – Page 93 – Windhoek Observer

26 May

Stop gambling with the lives of students

Uncategorisedstudents

Thandizo Kawerama Nobody signed up for all the unexpected changes in 2020, and students most definitely did not register for them. It’s not fair to put blame on anyone as not many could have planned ahead for a pandemic. However the reality is that students forced into distance and e-learning are not receiving the level of courses and study that they agreed to when they registered at the beginning of the year. And yet, they are being asked to perform at high levels in the face of uncertainty. It’s unfair to assume that students will be able to produce the…

26 May

Lettin’ folks out of lock-up – is it a good thing?

UncategorisedNamibia

Jackie Wilson Asheeke When the president decided to pardon petty criminals, I thought, “ok…that’s nice…now what?” ‘Ripping-the-band-aid-off’ abrupt actions can cause more harm than good. These former inmates will be thrown out onto the streets and expected to ‘be ok.’ Reality check: They won’t be ok. What is the plan beyond unlocking the doors and saying, ‘get out?’ Proven criminals with no money will be stealing within hours just to get a bus ticket to get home or find food that day. It is colder these days…shall they steal blankets and coats to sleep outside at night? There are no…

26 May

Meatco, NAFAU sign revised recognition agreement

UncategorisedMeat Corporation of Namibia, Meatco, Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU)

Staff Writer The Meat Corporation of Namibia (MEATCO) and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU) have signed the revised Recognition and Procedural Agreement. The main highlight of the revised agreement is the change to the employees who fall under the Bargaining Unit as A1-B2 which is now extended from A1-B5. “This means that all employees that fall within the Bargaining Unit currently will be represented by the Union during salary increment negotiations and other pertinent matters.” Under the newly signed agreement, the parties had a task to review the provisions of the agreement and to update outdated provisions…

21 May

Dempsey takes over as FirstRand Namibia Group CEO

UncategorisedConrad Dempsey, FirstRand Namibia, RMB Namibia

Staff Writer RMB Namibia Chief Executive Officer, Conrad Dempsey has been appointed FirstRand Namibia Group CEO Designate effective 1 July 2020 and will officially takeover reigns from Sarel van Zyl who retires on 30 September 2020. “He brings a wealth of work experience from around the world as well as Africa and successfully has led and developed RMB into the most successful Corporate and Investment Bank in Namibia. He has an incredibly deep understanding of the group’s businesses and our culture and I know he will take FirstRand to even greater heights”, said Van Zyl. “We have developed a strong…

20 May

Rental prices rebound

UncategorisedCovid-19, FNB, FNB Rental Index, Frans Uusiku

Staff Writer The FNB Rental Index for the first quarter of 2020 shows that overall residential rent prices rebounded from a two-year negative growth territory. Frans Uusiku, FNB Market Research Manager said the Covid-19 lockdown is bound to paint a different picture when looking at quarter two of 2020. “Although we reached a 12-month average growth of 0.0 percent at the end of March, bringing the national monthly average rent price to N$ 7465, we know that the pandemic has disrupted business activity, resulting in job losses and reduced income for the most part of the labour force. This is…

19 May

Debmarine employees aid communities

UncategorisedCoFeed Namibia Project, Debmarine Namibia, Okahandja, Oranjemund, Windhoek

Staff Writer Debmarine Namibia employees took an initiative to reach-out to those less fortunate by raising funds to purchase food parcels that will feed hundreds of destitute families in Oranjemund, Okahandja and Windhoek informal settlements. The employees raised more than N$40 000 which was matched by the Company. A total of N$ 80 000 was therefore committed to the initiative. In the true spirit of Show We Care, last week, 70 families from Otjomuise, 8Ste Laan benefited from the drive through the Cheerful Givers, a youth charity organisation which was started to provide struggling families with food during the lockdown…

19 May

Bank Windhoek brings water closer to the community

UncategorisedBank Windhoek, Covid-19, Jacquiline Pack

Staff Writer A team from Bank Windhoek led by the bank’s Executive Officer of Marketing and Corporate Communication Services, Jacquiline Pack, visited the Moses ǁGaroëb Constituency in Windhoek to assess the impact of water tanks donated to informal settlements around Windhoek. Capricorn Group and Bank Windhoek collaborated in donating 13 tanks, each with a capacity of 10 000 litres, to provide safe and clean water to residents. “As a connector of positive change, we believe that it is essential for us to take care of our community in which we operate. And with the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought it necessary…

19 May

Artists on lockdown: Jyz Yorke

UncategorisedJyz Yorke, State of Emergency

Thandi Kawerama The State of Emergency has brought drastic changes to various industries in our country, and the music industry is no exception. Concerts, festivals and other forms of promotion have been cancelled in light of the global pandemic. Entertainers are facing challenges during the lockdown to get the exposure they need to reach their audiences. Local artist Jyz Yorke recently chatted with us, over the phone of course, about what he’s been up to during the State of Emergency, his future plans, and how he realized that creating your own community as an artist will keep you afloat even…

19 May

Learning during lockdown

UncategorisedLearning, lockdown, TikTok

Albin Jacobs With Stage 2 of the phased State of Emergency set to run for another few weeks, life really has transformed in Namibia. Life as we know it across the globe has changed forever. We have all been trying to keep busy, some still just trying to work from home, others baking, learning to paint, catching up on sleep or rehearsing the ever-important TikTok dances. We all cope in different ways. Some are picking up studies that fell by the wayside, or finally finding the time to sit and think how to develop themselves academically. This is where distance…

16 May

Get out of your head and get into something new

UncategorisedNational Art Gallery, WhatsOn Namibia

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Check out WhatsOn Namibia - delia@whatsonnamibia.com It is time to get back into the saddle…at least a little bit. Get on to the mailing list of WhatsonNamibia noted above. They will send you notices of different events that are happening virtually and after this cup passes, they will send events that you can attend. I think this is a part of the new normal! I rarely have time after a long day at work to go to Song Night, but I always have wanted to go. Now, because it is online on Wednesdays, I’ll be able to…